

It has been a delight to work on this sculpture for North Kitsap Fire and Rescue! Blaze was a beloved member of their team and I'm happy to have been a part of his memorial. Before Blaze's sculpture is placed permanently at the Fire Station it will make a stop at Quiring Monuments where a granite pedestal will be added.
You can learn more about Blaze by reading the following text which is included on the sculpture.
Blaze was born on June 7, 1994 in Kingston, Washington
Blaze
was born in Kingston, Washington. His parents, Reba and Buttons, were
members of the Gary Steele family who, upon first seeing the new
puppy, knew that he was destined for life as a fire dog. NKF&R’s
members agreed. A contest was held to name the new mascot and, from
among many entries, firefighters selected "Blaze" as the
moniker for their littlest brother.
Blaze
began his fire service career shortly after he was weaned, and was
initially assigned to the operations division, riding in his own seat
on the fire engine and responding to emergencies. But, after
expressing his displeasure with his assignment by chewing through
radio equipment and seat upholstery, Blaze was transferred to the
community services division where he assisted with fire and injury
prevention efforts.
Unusually
calm and friendly for his breed, Blaze charmed citizens – young and
old – with his exceptional good-looks, his loving disposition, his
patience with children and his impressive demonstration of the "Stop,
Drop and Roll" technique. He lived in the fire station
throughout his career and, between station tours and classroom
visits, provided consistent service to firefighters by cleaning their
plates and keeping their bunks warm when emergencies called crews
away from meals and rest times. He often provided quiet comfort to
both firefighters and civilians after difficult calls. Like many
public safety professionals, Blaze sacrificed to serve. Most dogs
crave the consistency of one master, but Blaze had to adapt to a life
that included a large and varied cast of human companions.
His
frequent visits to local elementary and preschools earned him a place
in the hearts of every child he met. When firefighters sponsored a
party celebrating Blaze’s 10th birthday in 2004, more than 100 fans
joined in the festivities. Later that year, he was named Grand
Marshal of the Kingston Fourth of July Parade.
The
Dalmatian breed is thought to have become associated with
firefighters when the animals were used as calming companions for the
teams of horses that pulled fire pumpers before the advent of
internal combustion engines. Some say that these dogs – who love to
run -- were also useful at improving response times by keeping other
animals away from the horse teams as well as acting as watchdogs to
protect horses and equipment from thieves. Although many firefighters
own Dalmatians, modern "firehouse dogs" are rare. So, Blaze
caught the imagination of local and national media, appearing in a
number of newspaper and television stories. He once was the subject
of a seven-minute live interview on CNN.
A
succession of injuries and illnesses plagued Blaze as he aged but,
thanks to the firefighters’ love and the community’s generosity,
he recovered from several serious situations. As he approached
retirement in his 13th
year, he was struck by an illness that couldn’t be overcome.
This
gentle and dedicated firedog will forever remain in the hearts of our
entire community.